SR22 State

How to get your license reinstated in Massachusetts

Checked against official Massachusetts sources · Last reviewed October 6, 2026

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) decides when a suspended or revoked license can be reinstated. What you need depends on the type of suspension, but it always includes paying a reinstatement fee, and it may include classes or tests. [1]

SR-22 required?
No
Base reinstatement fee
$100

Step by step

  1. Check your status and what you owe

    Log in to myRMV with a MyMassGov account to check your license status for free. It also shows any outstanding obligations. The requirements to reinstate vary by suspension type. [1][2]

    Check the status of your driver's license or Massachusetts ID ↗

  2. Schedule a hearing if you need one

    Most RMV suspension hearings happen by phone. Schedule one through the RMV Online Service Center and upload your documents ahead of time; walk-ins aren't allowed. If you disagree with the RMV's decision, you usually have 10 days to appeal to the Board of Appeals, with a $50 fee. Some decisions, such as test-refusal and child support suspensions, are appealed in court instead. [3]

  3. Complete any required classes or programs

    The RMV may require a driver retraining program, State Courts Against Road Rage (SCARR), attitudinal retraining, a drug or alcohol program, or the Youth Alcohol Program before you reinstate. [1]

  4. Retake tests if required

    If your suspension was 2 years or more, you must pass the full exam, both the learner's permit test and the road test. A Hearings Officer may also require tests after a shorter suspension. [1]

  5. Know that no SR-22 is needed for Massachusetts

    Massachusetts doesn't require an SR-22 to reinstate a license. If another state suspended you, though, you must first be reinstated there. Then bring that state's Clearance Letter or a driving record no more than 30 days old to an RMV Service Center. [1][4][5]

  6. Pay the reinstatement fee

    Fees run from $100 to $1,200. The base fee is $100, while OUI and driving an uninsured vehicle cost $500. You can pay online, by phone at 857-368-8200, or at an RMV Service Center. [1][3][6]

    Reinstate your driver's license ↗

After an OUI arrest or conviction

  1. If you failed a breath test, expect an immediate 30-day suspension

    At 21 or older with a BAC of .08 or more, your license is suspended for 30 days right away, with no temporary license. You can appeal only in the district court where your charges are pending. When it ends, you must see a Hearings Officer to be reinstated. [7]

  2. If you refused the test, act within 15 days

    A refusal brings an immediate suspension of 180 days with no prior OUIs, 3 years with one, 5 years with two, or life with three or more. To challenge it at the RMV, you must appear within 15 days in person at the Boston (Haymarket) RMV Service Center. [3][7]

  3. Know your OUI conviction suspension

    An OUI conviction brings a suspension of 1 year for a first offense, 2 years for a second, 8 years for a third, and 10 years for a fourth. It starts only after any test-refusal suspension is fully served. For a first offense, a court-assigned alcohol education program may shorten it. [7]

  4. Install an ignition interlock if you have 2 or more OUIs

    With two or more OUI convictions or program assignments, you must have an interlock installed before you're reinstated. If you get a hardship license, you keep the device for the hardship period plus 2 years after full reinstatement. Meet with a Hearings Officer before you install it. [7]

  5. Pay the OUI reinstatement fee

    An OUI suspension costs $500 to reinstate. Some repeat-offense OUI revocations cost $700 or $1,200. [6]

Not legal advice. Rules change; confirm your own requirements with The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) before you drive.

SR-22 rules in Massachusetts · If your SR-22 lapses · Reinstatement in other states

Sources

  1. Mass.gov (RMV) - Reinstate your driver's license (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
  2. Mass.gov (RMV) - Check the status of your driver's license or Massachusetts ID (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
  3. Mass.gov (RMV) - Suspension hearings information (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
  4. M.G.L. c. 90 §34B - Certificates of insurance or surety companies (statute, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
  5. Mass.gov (RMV) - Out of state suspensions and revocations (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  6. M.G.L. c. 90 §33 - Fees (para. 36, reinstatement) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  7. Mass.gov (RMV) - Alcohol and drug suspensions for over 21 years of age (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)

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